Stocking tree



July 22, 1930;

STOCKING TREE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 23 I SIM/wanted 0h Vl' a We,

July 22, 1930. v Q HOWE 1,770,925

STOCKING TREE FiJed March 23/1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July '22, 1930 i I UNITED-f STA ES 1 partur tion-ICE OLIVER J. HOWE, or nnoox'rolv; MAssAcnUsET'rs, ASSIGNOR ro DANIEL o. REBHUN, or CINCINNATI, onro 1 i STOCKING TREE Application filed March 23, Serial No. 349,462.

The present invention relates tostocking trees or driers, and more particularly to an improved method of forming from a single; blank not material, a series of successively, re-

duced trees for use in preventing the shrinking of stockings" or socks so that the latter will retain their proper and desired shape.

after being Washed. An essential object of the invention consists in a new and novel method of forming from;

a single blank of material a: series of successively reduced leg portions of stockingtrees or the'like, eachofwhich-portions'is providedflwith' an elongated opening for facilita'ting the drying of the stockings and de'p'ending members for connecting the legIii-C1011 i to the foot portion of a stocking treeordrierr A further object comprehends theprovision ofa stocking tree having-its'ioot portion formed with'a toe section and a heel section, adjustable relative to eachothenand means associated with the sections for maintaining them in a predetermined position, which means is so arranged as not to interfere with 1 or removing o f the stocking the inserting from the tree.

'Another object is to provide a'simpleeco -x nominal and efficient method 2 of -forming stocking trees or dri'ers of dlflerentsizes' from r a single blank of materialand' providing each tree-with afoot portion capable of being a'd 'juste'd to" accommodate diflerent sizes o f stockings.

As isWell known, mens womensand chil-:'

drens hosiery are usually made of shrinkable 7 material, and if meansare not provideda'after such hosiery have been Washed to prevent them from shrinking, theyarenotonly very 7 should be washed'after each use thereof, since uncomfortable to wear, but their durability i is materially lessened andtheysoon become torn and unusuable, Moreover, stockings or socks Worn by athletes, actors and actresses,

otherwise they often become very uncomfortable and not infrequently cause serious injury to the-feet, Accordingly, it is an objectof thepresent invention to provide from single blank of material stocking trees or} driers that may be effectively used by men,'women orj children to dry "their stockingsor socks'at ing'the graduated sizes otleg portions 'of'the j "liig 'ire 4 isadisassembled view the' leg portion, and the foot portion Of'thetree,

ltially along the line 66f of F ig. 5, and i [Referringto the drawings in which are shown'several embodiments of the invention,

Figureil is a'perspective view'of a blank otmaterial showing in outlinethe successively reduced legport-ions. V

' Figure Qis a detail perspective view shovvtree after' beingremoved fromthe blank. e a

Figure 3is a'detail'sectional. view showing themeans for connecting the foot portion t0 the leg portion ofthe tree. i

" Figurefiis a perspective viewot a modified 7 form oi the invention.

Figure 6 is a sectional view takensubstan- 75 Figure 7 is aperspective view showing the stocking t-re'e supported in its drying position."

jfReferring to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts in the several views, '9 denotes a blank or stockistrip of any 180 I b e light 'and durable 'material, s h wood or the'like.

"The blank 9 isotsuc'h aconfiguration and si'ze asto permit a number of successivelyreduced. leg portions to be formed therefrom. This-is efiected by first marking in outline onjthe blanlnas at 10, 11, 12 and 18, the grad uated si zes ot the'legportions to be formed, whichiportions, itwill] be noted, are nested or arranged one within thepther so 'as'to re} duc-e'tof aminimum the waste of material. Additionally,"the lower ends ofeach'of the outlines is" marked with spaced depending arms-or fingers 14, the purpose'of which will subsequently be'described. I l p The blank 9 is then cut by any suitable cut- Q 'ter orrjthe'like alongjthe marking 10,150 as .to'

produce the outer contour 1'5 of the legpor tiOnor Qframe-IG '(Fig. 2); and the, depending the marking 11, thus forming the inner contour 18 of the leg portion 16 and the outer contour 19, and depending arms 20 of the smaller leg portion 21. The blank 10 is now out along the marking 12, which produces the inner contour 22 of the leg portion 21, and the outer contour 23 together with the spaced arms 24 of the smaller leg portion 25. The

remaining portion 26 is then out along the.

marking 13 to form the inner contour 27 .of the leg portion 25. 7

Thus, it will be seen that a series of graduated leg portions for stocking trees are formed in such a manner as to effect a substantial saving in the material. Obviously, the dimensions of the blank 9 may be such as to allow a larger or smaller number of trees to be formed therefrom.- Moreover, other blank or strip material may be employed,

such as celluloid, rattan, steel or:the like so as to construct thetrees or driers.

Three graduated sizes of trees are prefer-- ably formed from a single blank, since these have been. found to include practically all sizes of mens, womens, and childrens hosiery. In other words, the leg portion 16 is of such a size and dimension as to be used for. drying mens and womens hosiery, while the leg portion 21 is of the proper dimensions toaccommodate young boys and girls stock .ings, and the leg portion 25 of the proper size as to receive childrens stockings orsocks.

Referring to Figure 1,.it will be observed that the blank material between the depend;

ing fingers 14 and the inner contour of the next largest size of the leg' portions may be utilized for permitting the top and side edges of the inner and outer contours ofthe several graduated sizes to be formed by a single kerf. Each 'of the leg portions 16, 21 and 25 may then be suitablyconnected to a shoe portion of relatively the same size, so as to constitute the complete stocking tree or drier to be used with that particular size. As shown in Fig. 4, the depending arms 17 of the leg portion 16 are arranged to fit in complementary formed recesses 28 in the upper surface 2970f the foot portion 30, and may be rigidly secured thereto by the pins3l, which extend through the transverse openings 32 and 33. formed respectively in the foot portion 30 and the arms17, or inany other suitable manner, such as by cement or the like. If desired, eachof the ous sizes within theirparticular range, they may be each connected, tojanadjustable foot spring43'to engagethe bar .40, so as topre vent movement thereof. The plunger 42 has an operating handle 44 which extends laterally from the foot portion into a recess 45 formed in the sides of the sections 38 and 39. The handle 44' is of such a length as not toextend beyond the recess 45, and thus,

will not interfere with the inserting or re- 7 moving of a stockingfrom the tree.

Sincemens, women siery may generally be divided into three main classes or groups, in each of which the leg portion is of substantially the same length and width, while the foot portion in each may vary as to'size, it will be seen that by reason of the adjustable "arrangement of the foot portion 37, means are provided for properly,

fitting the hosiery in each class to'any size foot therein. Moreover, the .foot' section may be conveniently adjusted so as to accommodate different sizes without danger of tearing-or otherw se in uring the stockings or socks tobe dried. Injoperation, the hosiery 46 which may be either a stocking or sock, is first washed, and is then placed on'the tree 16 in order-to 1 prevent losing its shape, and also to facilitate itsdryingv The foot portion of the tree 16 should previously be adjusted so as to proper-' ly fit the particular size of stocking that is placed thereon; The stocking tree may then be hung on any suitable support, such as 47, by mejanslof the ring 48 and the hook 49, Figure}. V

The drying operation is greatly facilitated dueto the-elongated openings, 50. formed in eachof'the leg portions 16, 21 and 25.. Moreover, as certain grades of hosiery when washed have a tendency to shrink to such a serious extent as to materially impair their serviceability and value, it will be observed that the present invention provides a sim-; ple and economicalmethod of constructing from a single blankof material graduated sizes of stocking trees which will, not only enable the stockings to retain their proper shape after being washed, but willalso increase their wearing qualities g The stocking trees formed by the present methods are admirably suited for use bygolfers and thosewho engage in outdoor sports or exercise, since the stockingsmay' be washed before being placed on the tree, or may be fi'rst put on the tree and then washed and hung up to dry. a

Obviously, the invent'ion 'is equally ap- S and childrens ho my hand.

plicable for various, other purposesin which I a form retaining device may be used or the saving of material is a desired factor. Moreover; the present method and apparatus is merely illustrative of preferred embodia ments, and such modifications may be made therein as fall Within the purview of one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claim.

I claim: 7 The method of forming successively re-r duced stocking trees from a single blank of material, which comprises marking on the material a series of graduated sizes of nested leg portions and depending connecting mem- V bers, and cutting the material in accordance V with said markings so as to utilize the blank material between'each of the depending members and the inner contour'of the adjacent larger leg portion to enable the top and side edges of the inner and outer contours of the several graduated sizes of leg portions to be formed by a single kerf.

In testimony whereof Ihavehereunto set OLIVER J. 

